Who should pay on a first date? Men of course…according to other men.

A slight majority of women believe the bill should be split (55% of women compared to 33% of men)

Who should pay on a first date? Men of course…according to other men.

More than 6,100 members of free dating site Smooch.com were asked who should pay on a first date, and 55% believed that it is the man’s duty to pay, even in these cash-strapped times. Most of the remaining 43% decided it is best to split the bill.

Only 44% of women believe a man should pay, compared to (surprisingly?) 64% of men. Whether this is chivalry or chauvinism I'll let you decide. Not all guys surveyed felt a similar obligation, with 3% of the men surveyed actually expecting their date to pay the bill.

A slight majority of women believe the bill should be split (55% of women compared to 33% of men).

What is even more surprising is the difference of opinion between generations. If you thought that youngsters would be more liberal, you’d be wrong, again. Those aged 18-24 were the most likely (69%) to expect the man to pay compared to just 48% of those aged 41-50.

If like me, you are beginning to sweat at the thought of that awkward moment when the bill arrives trying to decide who will pay without seeming sexist, free-loading or worse, then I’d recommend you print out this handy guide derived from the broad range of facts and stats the survey contained:

How to spot a paying man
A man will expect to foot the bill at the end of a date if he…
has a moustache (69%), is muscular (59%), wants to have children (66%), is teetotal (60%) and has no piercings (62%).

How to spot a non-paying women
A woman will expect the man to pay for the date if she…
is very attractive (69%), has a Master’s degree (61%), doesn’t wear glasses or contact lenses (59%), has black hair (61%) and is a heavy smoker (60%)

Research:
Free dating site Smooch.com polled 6,100 members over a 12 hour period. Members responses remain anonymous, however, detailed statistics such as age, height, weight, build, attractiveness, hair colour, hair style, facial hair, drinking and smoking habits, education, salary and even star sign were available in the final statistics. More survey results can be found on the Smooch Blog. www.smooch.com